A Clinical Psychologist’s 4 Non-Negotiables For Anxiety

Onto the surprising tip: When you’re dealing with periods of anxiety-inducing uncertainty (hello, pandemic), Beurkens says it’s not actually helpful to tell yourself that it will all work out in the end. 

“We cannot control the uncertainty side of the scale, which is why saying, ‘Oh, don’t worry about that,’ or, ‘It will be okay,” doesn’t work, because we know it’s not true,” she explains. “We can’t control the uncertainty. What we can control is focusing on the other part of the equation: our belief and confidence in ourselves of being able to handle it.” 

Rather than telling yourself that it will be OK, say to yourself: “You will be able to handle whatever happens, because here’s what you’ve already handled. Here’s how you have previously handled a situation like that.” By giving yourself these concrete examples, you essentially have evidence that you are going to get through whatever situation you’re dealing with. “That focus is really what helps us support our mental health in the big picture,” says Beurkens.